On a planetoid in the Black Galaxy, Thor, Eric Masterson,
and the New Men see that the discorporated High Evolutionary and Hercules have
become merged with the fabric of reality. One of the New Men explains that the Black
Galaxy is composed of living matter—a bio-verse. Then the planetoid starts
breaking up and a couple of the New Men die in their attempt to escape. Thor
creates a wind shield to protect them from the upheaval but an approaching spaceship
is destroyed by the debris. Its sole occupant ejects to reach Thor and company:
a Recorder who tells Thor that Hercules and the High Evolutionary are the
likely cause of all of the upheavals—and that the Rigellians had teleported the
Null Bomb into the Black Galaxy to destroy it. Thor intends to stop that destruction
and the Recorder offers to aid Thor. The God of Thunder summons the bag
carrying his battle armor, which Eric recognizes as belonging to Sigurd
Jarlson. As he dons the armor, Thor explains that he was Sigurd and he is now
beyond needing a mortal identity so he abandons “Sigurd.” As they head on their
quest for the Null Bomb, they are attacked by antibodies; Thor generates an
impenetrable cocoon to protect them and also create a cone of energy to transport
them far away. The last remaining New Man warns Thor about his return to
Wundagore but falls silent as he falls though a yellow membrane. Thor follows
and discovers the man has aged to death and dissolved into dust; then Thor
realizes he has aged too and now has a white beard. Thor, Eric, and the
Recorder reach the misty planetoid where the Recorder has detected the bomb.
Landing on the planet, they discover the rocks are alive and secrete acid. The Recorder’s
legs are destroyed and Eric’s battle armor is ruined. They climb a huge
mountain in search of the bomb and discover a Celestial—and that the bomb will
detonate in five seconds. Thor uses Mjolnir to absorb all of the Null energy
and direct it into a steam of cosmic force, firing it out of the galaxy to reignite
a dying sun. They then find that Herc and H.E. are trapped in giant containers;
Thor breaks them open, releasing their occupants and the Celestial hurls the
rock they are standing on out of the Black Galaxy to safety in their own
universe. The Celestial has also healed them of their injures and Herc and H.E.
are all right. None of them has any idea what the Celestial wanted them for or
why. Recorder contacts Rigel to request a ride home.